Democracy & Freedom Watch

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The current parliamentary minority, which is made up of a party that governed Georgia for the last ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The former owner of a telecommunication company claims that the company was under serious pressure, because he ...

If we look at the current parliament through the eyes of an outside observer, then the question in the headline ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgian TV viewers will get a new channel in the near future, to be produced by the ...

Tbilisi, DF Watch - Georgia’s new prison minister says the law about amnesty may come into force before November 23, and ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Refugees in Georgia started to settle in abandoned buildings in the capital ever since the first results ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- There are more than 2 000 Georgian citizens living in the disaster zone created by a massive ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Psychologists say juvenile prisoners are serving time under very bad conditions in Georgia. Georgian Centre for Psychosocial and ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Another National Movement MP has left the parliamentary minority to become independent members of parliament. A group of ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgia's new government on Monday started working. Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili Monday arrived at the government building in ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The government in Georgia says it will move parliament back to the capital Tbilisi. October 21, parliamentarians met ...

The new leader of the Adjara region in southwestern Georgia is Archil Khabadze, former Adjara regional director of Cartu Bank, ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Up to 300 prisoners will be released before serving their term, Georgia’s new Prison Minister orders. Sozar Subari, ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara on Sunday held its first session, with all ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The new government has still not decided whether to implement Saakashvili’s idea of building a completely new ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgia’s new defense minister says he will take immediate measures to bring the ministry out of a ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The audit agency in Georgia wants the chair of the Public Broadcaster to be changed, while groups ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Production has been restored at Georgia's famous mineral water plant Bojomi, after several day strike has finished. There ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- New nine month figures from 2012 show a 16 percent increase in foreign trade turnover compared to ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- It is still unknown what will happen to a Russian language TV channel based in Georgia. PIK TV ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The day after a new government was approved by parliament in Georgia, it is already clear that ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Tbilisi City Council has solved the issue of trash collection fee, which is calculated based on how ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili says the intelligence service will be separated from the interior ministry and ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The outgoing and new government disagree over the size of the state coffers. Former government members claim that ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The new parliamentary majority plans to study the case of Givi Targamadze. He is a member of ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgia's eighth parliament has declared trust in the new government by 88 votes against 54. There are 150 ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The famous Georgian mineral water plant Borjomi is still paralyzed by strike, as railway workers and dockers ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- A lawyers group’s has won a lawsuit against the Georgian parliament. Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) protested the ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Thursday parliament will approve the new government presented by the Georgian Dream coalition. Parliament might also approve the ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The new government in Georgia wants to do away with administrative detention. This is a form of incarceration ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgia’s new government plans to give thousands of prisoner amnesty, but has not yet specific what categories ...

The future Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili on Wednesday visited parliament to meet with the minority and answer their critical questions ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Bidzina Ivanishvivli, leader of the Georgian Dream coalition and future Prime Minister, says he will leave politics ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are voicing their opposition to a candidate for refugee minister in the new ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The results of the recent parliamentary election encouraged workers all over Georgia to protest against their harsh ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgia may reconsider the size of its contingent in Afghanistan after 2014. Candidate for new foreign minister Maya ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- There have been sharp exchanges between the majority and minority just three days after the new parliament ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Negotiations are continuing Tuesday between Georgia and the EU about an association agreement. This is the eleventh ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The worker protests are continuing in Georgia after the election. After a week they can note a ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- President Mikheil Saakashvili on Monday officially presented the new government list to parliament together with a new ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Several powerful ministers in the Saakashvili government have not been seen in the country since the first ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Five members of parliament (MPs) who were elected as representing the National Movement party declined to join ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgia’s eighth parliamentary assembly has three factions from the majority and three from the minority. 15 parliamentary ...

For many in the West, Mikheil Saakashvili remains the poster child of the Rose Revolution, an uncompromising promoter of democracy ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Groups in Georgia ask the new government to reconsider its candidate for refugee minister, after criticism for ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The candidate for prime minister in Georgia has presented his list of government ministers to the president. The ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Groups of youth demonstrated today in front of the new parliament building where the eighth Georgian parliament ...

TBILISI, DFWatch - The eighth Georgian parliament Sunday elected Republican Party leader Davit Usupashvili as speaker of parliament by 88 ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Parliamentarians in Georgia are gathering today in Kutaisi for their first session after the October 1 election. Their ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgia’s Public Broadcaster has abolished its contract with the Russian language TV station PIK, which has been ...

Georgia’s Central Election commission Friday approved the protocol of the October 1, 2012, parliamentary election. The first session of the ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgia's Central Election Commission (CEC) has approved the final results of the October 1 parliamentary election. According to ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Shortly after the preliminary results of the parliamentary election became known, workers all over th ecountry started ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Civic groups in Georgia Friday presented an eight-point plan for how to improve the media environment in ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The Georgian president is strengthening the security around himself and his family. Mikheil Saakashvili has issued a decree ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- NATO will remain absolutely committed to Georgia, a NATO envoy said after meeting the future prime minister ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- A group of volunteer youth in Tbilisi decided to organize a charity event in the city internationally ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- A business jet carrying President of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, had to make an emergency landing at Bucharest ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- After meeting with Stefan Fule, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy on Thursday, Bidzina Ivanishvili ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- New groups of workers have joined the miners on strike in Chiatura, and activists from Tbilisi have ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- NATO envoy James Appathurai yesterday evening arrived in Georgia for a working visit to meet with former ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Another pro-government television station has been sold in the wake of the parliamentary election in Georgia: Real ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Transparency International Georgia (TIG) predicts that the television environment will stay polarized. Less than two weeks have passed ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- During the election campaign in Georgia there were hidden political advertisements on TV. This is the result of ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- A government-controlled TV channel is in the process of be transferred back to the family of its ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- President Mikheil Saakashvili Tuesday presented Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgian Dream coalition leader, as a candidate for Prime Minister. Manana ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Eric Rubin, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, evaluated the recent parliamentary election in Georgia on his ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Mikheil Saakashvili Tuesday admitted his National Movement party had done too much talking instead of listening to ...

On October 1, Georgia successfully concluded its first constitutional transfer of power through internationally monitored free and fair elections. President ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Thousands of miners are on strike in western Georgia, demanding to improve work conditions and have a ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The director of a government-controlled TV channel and a key figure after the rose revolution has left ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Journalists of TV channel PIK Monday evening expressed protest in an unusual way: When viewers tuned in ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgian Dream on Tuesday named the rest of its candidates for new government ministers. Bidzina Ivanishivli, Georgian Dream ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- President Mikheil Saakashvili today gave Georgian citizenship to the future prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. October 2011, the former ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The government is offering TV stations exemption from paying outstanding tax debts. This will mostly benefit two ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgian Young Lawyer's Association wants a debate between prospective candidates for new ombudsman. The young lawyers think such ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The National Movement party, which is now in opposition in Georgia, plans to set up several parliamentary ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The EU ambassador to Georgia thinks the ongoing process of transfer of power is another test for ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The new governing coalition will have as goal to establish a real multiparty system in Georgia, Georgian ...

Changes are expected in the education system after the new government comes to power. The national exam system may return to ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- There were repeat elections at eleven precincts in three regions of Georgia on Sunday. According to the Central ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- A 5.3 magnitude earthquake struck near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border at about 14:15 on Sunday. The epicenter was 10 ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Eleven precincts in three districts in Georgia are holding repeat elections Sunday, because of grave irregularities which ...

Georgian officials will, if they are fired, be able to use their diplomatic passports for one more year. This means that ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgia played 1-1 against Finland Friday in the third qualifier for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The match ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- President Mikheil Saakashvili promises Bidzina Ivanishvili to help in keeping the new government safe and to retain ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Five members of the United National Movement party in Tbilisi City Council left their faction and set ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- A new survey shows that the State Audit Office committed many violations during the last year. Representatives of ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Many in Tbilisi had hoped that city hall would do away with an unpopular new system to ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili today had a phone conversation with NATO's Secretary General, who told the ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Corporal Mindia Abashidze was the eighteenth Georgian soldier to die while serving in the NATO-led ISAF operation ...

The current Georgian government has resigned but will continue carrying out its duties until a new government is approved by ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgian Young Lawyer's Association (GYLA) and other non-governmental organizations have  proposed to the parliament that Tamar Gurchiani ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Several election districts in Georgia will have to vote again on October 14 because the results of ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Following the opposition victory in last week's parliamentary election, people who have been deprived of their companies ...

About 200 employees of the port of Poti are on strike, local media report. The workers refuse to carry on ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Tbilisi City Hall has started a process that could lead to a controversial mechanism being abolished involving ...

Georgian government October two presented draft for state budget adjusted to the interest of the United National Movement to the ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The prisoner whom the government claimed orchestrated the prisoner abuse videos has been released. Tamaz Tamazashvili, the father-in-law ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The mayor of Georgia's capital Tbilisi has decided to set up a new security force. Mayor Gigi Ugulava ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Property seized in the heat of the election campaign is to be returned, even though the new ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Two financial agreements have been signed between Georgia and the EU. According to press office of the State ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Leaders of People’s Assembly and Democratic Movement demand the release of political prisoners and illegally arrested people ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The physical harassment and psychological pressure against the district election commissions is continuing. Activists from the Georgian Dream ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The largest Georgian union of civil society organizations is ready to offer advice and ideas to the ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The prison minister in Georgia says he will put together a monitoring group to let human rights ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- An extraordinary meeting took place in Tbilisi today, as President Mikheil Saakashvili received billionaire and election winner ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The Georgian Dream coalition leader and likely prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili today named his candidates for government ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgia's state accounts by are by September 2012 at one of the highest levels during the past ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Negotiators for the government and Georgian Dream Monday held another round of consultations regarding the ongoing process ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgia’s capital last weekend was the scene of elaborate display of handicraft, winemaking, food and fun, as ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgian Dream leader Bidzina Ivanishvili Monday presented his candidates for government ministers and other important positions, after ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Groups on Sunday protested against the attack on a well-known Georgian writer who was beaten after participating ...

A new coalition called Georgian Dream won a clear victory in the parliamentary election last week. Georgia-expert Lincoln Mitchell interprets ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Protests continue after a Georgian newspaper published the names of employees at a prison scandalized by revelations ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- One of the largest petrol companies reduced the price of petrol by 8 tetris. A spokesman for ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- There is a crisis in pro-government TV in Georgia, after an opposition coalition won the parliamentary election. October ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- President Mikheil Saakashvili Friday told his acting interior minister and chief prosecutor to do everything to prevent ...

The founders of Rustavi 2, a TV company are fighting to get back control which they claimed was forcefully deprived ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Friday, authorities in Georgia lifted the seizure of thousands of satellite dishes belonging to Maestro TV and ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- About 200 local and foreign businesspeople Friday gathered to meet with the winner of the parliamentary election ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgia's prison ministry informs that a suicide might have taken place at No 18 prison hospital. The body ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Four days after the election, the Central Election Commission (CEC) said the counting of votes had been ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The winner of the aryparliament election, Georgian Dream, will from October 8 send representatives to each state ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- US Secretary of State has had a phone conversation with President Mikheil Saakashvili and Bidzina Ivanishvili, who ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- A colonel in Georgia’s armed forces who recently chaired Georgian peace divisions in Afghanistan has been arrested. ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- A video was publishedThursday showing a person wearing a mask breaking into one of the election precincts ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The government of President Mikheil Saakashvili has picked the Parliament Speaker, Tbilisi Mayor, Secretary of the Security ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- While the country is rocked by political tension, rallies and protests, up to twenty students and others ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- The leader of a decade old party has said he is leaving politics, sticking to a promise ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- A former body guard for the Georgian Dream coalition, who was reported missing, returned home today. In a ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – Georgian Dream and others are protesting outside the election commission offices in nineteen one-past-the-post districts where the ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- President Mikheil Saakashvili's party lost the election in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara. This is his favorite region ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- One of Georgia's most popular newspapers on Wednesday revealed the identity of guards working in a controversial ...

The election winner in Georgia's first visit abroad will be to the U.S., probably after the U.S. presidential election. Bidzina Ivanishvili ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – The coalition that won the parliament election is putting together a working group to handle relations with ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – The U.S. Secretary of State responded to Monday’s election in Georgia congratulating Georgians on their peaceful and ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – The counting of votes is almost finished in Georgia and results show that the opposition leads with ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) summed up events on Election Day and reported about ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – The leader of the coalition that won the Georgian election Monday says it would be best for ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – A group carrying out parallel vote counting has estimated that Georgian Dream won by 54.6 to 40.7 ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – OSCE says Georgia made an important step in consolidating the conduct of democratic elections, but there are ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – The winner in the Georgian parliamentary election says it would be wise of Mikheil Saakashvili to step ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – The election result from several precincts in three districts of Georgia may be annulled, says the head ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – The National Movement party moves into opposition, President Mikheil Saakashvili has told the Georgian people in a ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – Official results from the Central Election Commission at 06:20 am local time showed that the opposition Georgian ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – Special police forces stormed several election precincts in Georgia, seized the ballot box and rewrote the protocol, ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – Georgian Young Lawyer's Association discovered many violations during the election October 1. At a press conference 21:00 GYLA ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – According to Maestro TV's exit poll, the opposition Georgian Dream coalition is set to win also in ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – Another series of violations are regularly reported through local non-government organizations, media outlets and social networks from ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili concedes that his National Movement party has been defeated in the parliamentary election ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – All the exit polls published after voting ended show that the opposition has won the election in ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – The leader of Georgia's opposition coalition has not voted in Monday's parliamentary election. Bidzina Ivanishvili, leader of Georgian ...

TBILISI, DFWatch -- Local non-governmental organizations are reporting about different kinds of violations in Monday's election. Transparency International Georgia (TI) reports ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – In Georgia the most important election in recent history is underway. According to the Central Election Commission, there ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – The kidnapping and killing of a 10 months old girl from an opposition activists' family has pushed ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – A day before the parliamentary election, the embattled prison ministry in Georgia made a push to explain ...

TBILISI, DFWatch – An unprecedented 61 000 local observers will follow tomorrow's parliamentary election, head of the Central Election Commission ...